The present invention relates to an apparatus for positioning plate materials and to be used on such multiple-hole punching machinery as press machinery for punching multiple holes in plate materials.
Conventionally, in punching multiple holes in plate materials, the operator has had to pre-mark the hole sites on the plate material and then maneuver the punch equipment punch, etc. to the site of scheduled punching.
This conventional method has suffered from the disadvantages that considerable time and energy had to be expended pre-marking the scheduled punch sites on the plate material and maneuvering the plate material and punch machinery.
Accordingly, an automatic positioning device was recently invented to determine the positions on the plate materials mechanically, this device being as shown in Japanese utility model application No. 19062/1979 (laid open No. 122933/1980).
However, because machines based upon this prior invention have had a second mount moving in the direction of the Y axis mounted on top of the first mount moving in the direction of the X axis and have had a single L-shaped workpiece stopper on this second mount extending in both the X and Y directions, they have suffered from the following disadvantages.
Because the means of motion along the X axis and the means of motion along the Y axis are structured in an overlapping format, the equipment structure is complex and the production of intricate pieces is hence very expensive. Further, because the workpiece stopper used for positioning the plate material is a single L-shaped piece, it is impossible to punch holes in locations near the piece perimeter. In effect, punching holes near the piece perimeter requires that both punch and die approach the edge of the workpiece stopper, yet in such cases the approach of the punch with reference to the workpiece stopper is limited by the outer edge of the punch base and the outer edge of the die such that it is in fact impossible to bring the punch close to the workpiece stopper. It is thus a purpose of this present invention to provide easy positioning by decreasing the number and complexity of parts through providing separate motors for moving the workpiece stopper along the X axis and for moving the workpiece stopper along the Y axis.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide easy positioning enabling the punching of holes in locations near the perimeter of the piece through structuring a cutout section in the forward edge of the workpiece stopper which is movable along the Y axis.
A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a positioning mechanism which can be computer-controlled or numerically controlled by utilizing reversible pulse motors to drive the screw axles serving as the drive mechanisms for the workpiece stoppers which move along the X axis and along the Y axis.